Lets do some looking at outfits

[Delmonico]

Lets have folks post pictures of their outfits, don't matter if it's historical or silver screen, tell us why you chose the items in it.  Also lets us know where you wear it, SASS, NCOWS, GAF, Living History events or a como of any and all.

I'll start this off with one of mine I like, the original picture was taken at a living history demo, you will note the items are well worn, even patched, I like that for these demos, it gives me the look I want.

I cropped everything I could out of it to show the clothes as best I can.  Watch you eyes, some folks will say it's a bit busy.



The hat is a reject blank of good quality from Stetson, has 13 years of wear, the inside sweat band it wool and the hat band it wool also, then sized to fit my head.  Would have been a good quality expensive hat so it holds it's shape with out stiffner.

The glasses are from a modern optical store, they look like blued steel, but are titanium, they do have glass lens though.  I also have two pair of originals from the period, funny thing is, to have lens made, the have to be poly carb because of the thickness the glass would have to have.

The suspenders are just plain elastic ones, I prefer them as I'm up and down a lot and they do date from before the Civil War although not as common as the non-elastic ones and more expensive.

The apron does not show that well, but purple with little flowers on it, a left over from a quilt project.

The banndana is cotton, 36"X36", I bought a yard of material and seamed the edges, I don't like silk ones around a fire.

The shirt is one I made several years ago, has a couple patches that don't show.

The pants are a well worn pair of Wah ones.  The brown near the rear pocket it coruroy, they are well worn and needed help.



I noticed something working on the picture, and even remember it well, guess you could call it taking PC a bit far,



a fairly nice but fairly minor burn from the handle of the coffe pot from earier in the day.

One thing I have noticed and work to do when I choose an outfit is to not only think about how it looks in color, but also in sepia tone, because so many of use sepia tone pictures for the look.



Also I think about how it looks in B&W, since the original photos were that way and the sepia comes with afe.  some of my childhood pictures are doing that.  Also a lot of times at these events there is a reporter and photographer from the local paper and most often they will be B&W if they get printed.



All in all, this combo holds up pretty well all three ways.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Del, I went through what I have on file in my unit, most were taken at matches over the years, so there aren't any real close ups. Might give some idea as to what is worn by SASS members at the local level. I'll put some up, if you think they'll suffice............Buck

[Delmonico]

Del, I went through what I have on file in my unit, most were taken at matches over the years, so there aren't any real close ups. Might give some idea as to what is worn by SASS members at the local level. I'll put some up, if you think they'll suffice............Buck

Go for it, the more information we have, the more there is for folks to look at.

[Delmonico]

Here is another set, from another day, to lazy to stand and watch the Chicken Fried Steak cook.

The first one has some weird light glare in a couple of places:



Easy to fix with digital:



Somehow the same bandanna and apron, another shirt I made and have patched, plus a set of Frontier Classics pants, also patched up.

Hard to see, but different boots, no mule ears and proper leather soles.  (Anyone notice the rubber soles on the ones in the first picture?)

And the sepia:



And the B&W:



This outfit holds up well all three ways also.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Okay, the first one I'll put up is Susie in what would be considered B-Western for a SASS match. IIRC, none of this is WAH, but a smattering of makers found at a typical Western Wear store in this area( darn few of them now)

[Four-Eyed Buck]

This one was taken my second year of shooting CAS. It's a WAH frock coat, COWS dress shirt with an add on vertical collar, red cravat type tie with pearl stick pin, and a WAH brocaid vest. More of a dress up type outfit in the gambler vein or townie

[Four-Eyed Buck]

This one is Susie again. She's wearing a ladies tea blouse, probably from Recolections, with a print vest from a western wear store, a pair of ladies COWS riding britches( note the extra fabric insert in the seat area), a set of leather ladies size suspenders, and a pair of ladies lace up boots. These have a low walking type heel as the higher riding type heels are kinda uncomfortable after a full day of walking and shooting stages

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Looking at the pic again, the pard with the timer is D.J. McDraw, now our Territorial governor. What he is wearing is considered the max for the Classic Cowboy requirement in SASS................Buck

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Had to fool with this one some to get it down to size. It's my typical monthly match outfit. A long sleeve WAH shirt of the band collar type, a four pocket WAH vest with watch  and fob, pants are from THE FORT( can't remember the maker's name, Del), elastic suspenders, and a pair of Frontier boots from THE Fort with mule ears. The rifle is my 1889 Marlin in 38-40, circa 1891............

[Four-Eyed Buck]

In that pic, you can see Susie at the loading table in a gingham or calico dress , probably Recolections again( probably her favorite maker).............Buck

[River City John]

Before I get myself all worked up to start posting material in here, let me offer my own simple philosophy.

Regardless of the shooting organization, all take their inspiration from the love of the history of the 19th century. Different organizations have different guidelines as to how strict they are in (Now don't you all jump all over poor little 'ole me, . . . .but let me use, this ONE time, the term,. . . .'COSTUMING').

In a nutshell, if you do your study and keep your eye attuned for the look based on the history of the period, and select your purchases accordingly, you will find this will prove to be the greatest economy,- for the closer you are to achieving the true 19th cent. look based on documented images and catalog references, then you'll find that standard of(Oh God!, here he says again. . .) 'costuming' to be acceptable to ALL the shooting organizations.

In other words, the closer you are to the HISTORY and you'll automatically fit into all the organizations.
This frees you from having to buy different wardrobes to compete in those different organizations Del mentioned in his original post. BIG HINT here, if you select your firearms based on that philosophy, too, then you won't ever have to worry whether your guns are NCOWS-approved; GAF-approved; or SASS-approved.  

RCJ

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I like being as historically correct as possible in my outfits. I have a few things that I bounce back and forth between but I try to wear things that portray the era we are emulating. I shoot SASS because there isn't an NCOWS posse within traveling distance. That doesn't mean I shortcut on my gear and clothes, though. I don't have many photos that show my whole outfit. I'll try to round up some new ones.

[Delmonico]

FEB, those are Frontier Classic brand pants.

Wish words RCJ.

Marshall Will, figured with cabian fever setting in, it would be a good time for folks to look through their pictures, and think about getting some as it gets warmer.  I seem to lack a lot of pictures also, although I know there are ones of my floating around on six continents.  For some reason I don't end up taking many of myself, might have to change that.

I have a couple to post that are definatly not taken where folks would expect.  Also some floating around that I've seen folks sneek in with their cell phones, like putting gas in my pick-up and pushing a cart arounbd the grocery store.

[River City John]

I prefer caps when I'm not shooting, such as this mechanics cap. Also small brimmed hats such as bowlers or top hats.



For general wear or travel as an overcoat I like a linen duster. I do love hats of all types. Being bald they serve a more practical purpose rather than just style. Usually wear a vest and long sleeved underwear under my shirt, both summer and winter.



Most often for shooting I like a straw of some kind. They're cool and light. If well fitted I don't have any problem keeping them on in a wind, unless we're talking gale force, then I'm not the only one chasing my hat. (Now that I think of it, for those rare times I've ever had the wind take my hat it always seems to blow it downrange. )
For wet weather I like the traditional fishskin slicker. They do require a bit of maintenance to keep the waterproofing from sticking to itself, at least on the older ones. Two schools of thought on that,- 1.) dust with cornstarch 2.) wipe down with Armor-All. This one came from a run that The Fort were selling, and the coating was not sticky, so I just treat with Armor-All at the beginning of the season.



I'm also interested in military history and have put together a Naval Ensign uniform. Here the dress version, with the coat worn by having the top button only buttoned, allowing the coat to open and fall away along the sides exposing the vest. Non-regulation but very common style during the period, both military and civilian.



And here the shooting version. The Navy Regs allowed the wearing of white pantaloons and straws in the warmer climates.

In general I feel most comfortable as a 'Townie" as opposed to a cowboy, etc. Shoes rather than boots,- woolen gloves or dress gloves rather than roping cuffs or gauntlets. I also prefer earth-tones, but one of these days I've promised myself to have Jean Warren at James Country Mercantile make me up a three-piece in a typical gaudy plaid just for fun. I've seen three different versions on Pards and they all looked great!

RCJ

[Delmonico]

Thanks John and Buck, John your comment about the hats being well fitted brings up a good point that I covered a while back here:

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,11542.0.html

In my experience I would say about 50% of folks do not wear the right size hats, this can be CAS shooters, or others such as bar cowboys, and rodeo fans who have one to wear there.  The only group I see that really understand how a hat needs to be fitrted is the real "ride a horse and tend cattle" cowboys, don't see them wearing the wrong size hat very often.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Nice pics, RCJ. Del, sometimes CRS strikes pretty hard, I'll have to think about another pair of britches this year as my Doc has knocked some weight off'n me and those 40's MIGHT be a triffle bit roomy now. Thinking a solid color though. I know my gun belts are getting to their last inside notches
I agree with RCJ's comments about getting closer to authenticity, the closer, the easier it is to meet "costuming" requirements for any organization............Buck

[Delmonico]

Here's a outfit that didn't hold well when it wasn't in color,  but I really didn't intend it to or give it much thought that way.

Went over to one of my wife's relatives on the 4th of July this year, wore this.  (The Garage made the best background there.)



The hat is a custom Rand, 10X 100% beaver, the bandanna is a white with little blue flowers cotton one I made.  the Shirt is one I made, piped in red, but now sorta faded since the shirt is over 8 years old.  Pants have seen some use, Frontier Classics and the boots are the Bolet Shooters boot. like them so well I also have now bought the brown ones.  BTW these may not be the boot for everyone, a rounded toe, and 2 piece vamp, more of an 1890's style.  Also a riding heel, no sole padding, a type that works well for me.  Also the shaft is smaller than some of the newwer ones like the Durangos.

In sepia, things blend in more:



B&W don't as much but still does not have the affect it does in color:

[Delmonico]

I've only been doing digital for a little over 2 years, I need a better camera, but I like being able to work over pictures and clean up stuff that ends up in them by mistake.   Also like some of the other affects that can be done.  Anyone who has anything to offer this way go ahead or even better start another thread here to cover photo clean-up.

I like this one from the 2008 GAF muster of RCJ.  To me it would make a good stereo-scope picture and would fit right in with a picture of the blown up Maine and Dewey's fleet.

[mike highgate]

Delmonico, your clothes look far more convincing for being faded .
The last picture manages somehow to capture that period look; something to do with the degree of sharpness perhaps?

[Delmonico]

Delmonico, your clothes look far more convincing for being faded .
The last picture manages somehow to capture that period look; something to do with the degree of sharpness perhaps?

That's why I say it looks the way it does, had shadow problems becasue it was late in the day.  To me it looks that period I mentioned because the celluliod dry plate negative had became the new way.  To me they never had the clairity of the glass plate, even though in the early years before 35mm got popular the negative was the same size and even used the same camera.  A late friend of mine thought the same thing and did a leture at NSHS I attended on such a few years ago.

His Great-Uncle was the photographer that took those sad photo's at Wounded Knee.